


The Bunny and the Carrot

by AvaKelly, GingerEnvy



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bad Puns, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Oblivious, Pining, This can only end well, bucky is wearing bunny ears, clint has carrots, shenanigans at the zoo, the best puns, the worst puns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-03
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-07-12 01:26:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7078792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvaKelly/pseuds/AvaKelly, https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerEnvy/pseuds/GingerEnvy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"…no, the penguins understand me," Clint returns stubbornly. "I'm gonna live here. I'll be Penguineye."</p><p>The bird in front of Clint is looking at him with intent.</p><p>Bucky is so done.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bunny and the Carrot

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone.  
> So this piece started [here](http://intermittently-ava.tumblr.com/post/140987981877/imagine-clint-shooting-carrots). We will blame Ginger for the rest :D  
> Thank you for reading! o/

In retrospect, Bucky shouldn't have watched Zootopia in Natasha's presence. Actually, he shouldn't have called Natasha a 'cute bunny' because... this happened. Bucky looks around himself and crosses his arms harder, if that's even possible. Hmpf! He does  _ not _ make a better bunny, no matter what she says, no matter if Clint agrees.

Which reminds him. Bucky looks up toward the tree outside the fence of the bunny enclosure at the local zoo, where he is currently sitting cross legged, on the grass, wearing the fluffiest bunny ears ever. On a low branch, Clint sits perched, twirling a carrot between his fingers, grin on his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

"Don't you dare," Bucky mutters, eyes squinting at the toy bow in Clint's other hand.

Clint most likely reads his lips, because his face brightens even more with mischief.

Aaa...nd there it is. The carrot hits the side of Bucky's shoulder with a thump. Bucky picks it up and places it in front of him, next to the other five Clint's propelled inside the fence in the past fifteen minutes.

A dismayed employee has come and gone with the threat of calling security after his pleas with Clint fell on deaf ears. In Clint's own words. Bucky snorts. That's a good pun, he'll admit that.

Clint has the best puns, both self deprecating and incredibly insightful. First time Clint made one at Bucky's expense, everybody froze in place, especially Steve. But it made Bucky laugh so hard... it felt like Clint reminded him of how to shape his mouth and  _ feel _ . Something silly, something light, something tender.

It happened again, and again, and then they started using the range together. They're balanced. Bucky can wait in complete stillness for longer, while Clint has a better aim. Shooting slowly turned into talking, late nights and shitty coffee, until Bucky found himself wanting to...

Bucky takes a deep breath.

When Natasha said Clint was a disaster at dating or taking cues, Bucky didn't think it would be this dire. As of yet, Bucky finds himself the recipient of Clint's continued friendship, while all his flirting falls flat. Hm, maybe he doesn't know how to flirt anymore.

Or maybe he really has absolutely no chance with Clint.

He should be grateful for what he has right now.

"Here bunny, bunny," Clint calls before releasing another carrot.

Bucky wonders where Clint's hiding those and how many he has left. He growls at Clint, scowl deepening. "Clint, cut it out or I'm coming there to shove this carrot up your ass," Bucky says, waving the piece of said vegetable that just hit him in the forehead.

"That's not what I want you to put in my a–aaack!" Clint yells back, but he startles himself and falls down from the tree.

Bucky's heart leaps in his chest. Did Clint just say... he rushes out, hopes raised.

~

Clint was not meant to say that out loud. Not now, not in a million years. He's been too careful trying not to let slip his incredibly huge crush on Bucky. He peeks out from the bushes he's landed in. But Bucky is nowhere in sight.

"Aw, mouth," he whispers to himself.

This is the worst. Clint hurries out and off the side alley, following it more on instinct than sight. Perhaps if he ends up with the lions, they'll eat him and spare him the embarrassment.

Or humiliation.

Like Bucky'd ever want his sorry ass.

Bucky has wits, humor, that perfect smile, those incredible eyes. Clint only has coffee stains and ripped pants. He pokes his finger into the hole that's appeared over his thigh in the fabric of his jeans. His favorite jeans even.

As he said, this is the worst, and Clint swallows against the lump in his throat, blinking fast against the midday sunlight. He shivers, looking around himself.

Well, this is fitting, he thinks as he takes in the curious penguins that waddle over.

"Hey, you! Get out of there!" someone shouts. An employee is running outside the fence, blue bucket spilling pieces of fish behind her.

Clint follows her path, turning around. Oh-oh. She's going for the door to the side, and Clint rushes over, drags a boulder in front of it. Well, it's a decorative piece, but it does a good job of blocking access. A cursory survey of the space tells him there are no other ingress points. With a sigh, Clint drops down in the middle of the large rock island that decorates the penguin enclosure.

~

Bucky finds Clint in the penguin area of all places. He's sitting there moping while an angry employee is trying to open the door to the enclosure that Clint has most likely blocked.

"I fucked up, man," Bucky hears Clint tell one of the penguins that have waddled over out of curiosity.

Bucky raises his eyes to the sky with a groan. This is too dramatic. But it's Clint, and he can't stay mad at Clint, not even for five seconds at a time.

"Clint, get out of there, dammit," Bucky grits, but is ready to parkour his way to where Clint's sitting cross legged.

Suddenly their roles are reversed and Bucky wishes he had a fish to throw at Clint. That would be magical indeed. With a snort, he shakes his head at himself.

"…no, the penguins understand me," Clint returns stubbornly. "I'm gonna live here. I'll be Penguineye."

The bird in front of Clint is looking at him with intent.

Bucky is so done.

"For crying out loud," Bucky mutters under his breath. "I swear, if you make me come in there, I'm not putting out until the tenth date!"

Clint's head snaps up, mouth gaping while his fingers twitch in mid air. The penguin next to him flails its little wings and opens its beak. They look a lot alike and he tries, Bucky really tries to keep the scowl in place, or at least maintain a straight face, but he can't. The laughter bursts out of him unabated.

"Clint!" he continues, when Clint doesn't move. "Come on, say something!"

Oh no. Has Bucky misunderstood?

~

Clint is frozen in shock. Would Bucky actually want Clint?

"Tenth date?" Clint finally chokes out. "Okay."

Because, really, if he heard wrong, it can't get more awkward than this. Bucky with bunny ears crouched on the fence like a gargoyle, and Clint with two penguins poking at his legs while a third is trying to climb on his shoulder.

"Is than an okay to the tenth date or the first?"

"…both?" Clint croaks, eyes so wide, they're stinging.

But it feels as if his pulse stops, while he waits for that fraction of a second between the words reaching Bucky and the smile that pulls at Bucky's lips.

Aw, smile. Clint's heart rabbits behind his ribs. Pfft.  _ Rabbits! _

~

Bucky can't stop himself from grinning as he puts his training to good use. He lands next to Clint in three seconds flat, and he gently pushes a couple of birds out of the way before striding over to open the door for the frantic zoo employees.

"You know," Clint says from behind him, "you  _ coming _ in here kinda defeats the purpose of not putting out until date ten."

When Bucky turns, Clint's rubbing at the back of his neck, cheeks slightly pink. That's a good look on him, Bucky decides.

"Oh, I was just gonna let you escape while I fend off the angry mob outside," he throws his thumb over his shoulder toward where someone is threatening to call the police, "but now I think I'll let them have you," he smirks.

Clint's gasp and appalled face are precious. Bucky squirms in delight, metal palm braced against the door to keep intruders at bay.

"I'll give you this carrot?" Clint raises to his feet, takes a few steps closer as he pulls a vegetable out of his pocket.

Bucky extends his free hand and is pleased when Clint wraps his own around it, then threads their fingers together.

"That's not the kind of carrot this bunny wants," Bucky says.

"Bucky bunny," Clint murmurs, shifting in front of Bucky.

He's so close, Bucky can feel his body heat, and he can't wait to wrap himself around Clint. But just then it seems that the meaning of Bucky's words finally reaches Clint, because Clint startles, looks at Bucky wide eyed and red faced. Bucky laughs.

"That's worse than any puns I ever made," Clint says.

"I think it's the best one yet," Bucky returns. And then, just because he can, he leans closer, almost bumping their noses together. "Besides," he whispers, "it's you who wanted a carrot up his a--"

Clint's mouth is hot, his touch soft. His teeth nip at Bucky's lips and Bucky forgets everything but how the points of contact between them feel.

Like he's wrapped in sunshine. Touched by humanity. Submerged in love.

~

It's true, and Clint almost can't believe it, but it is! Bucky's locking lips with him and not pushing Clint away and, and, and!

Clint leans into Bucky, a satisfied sigh escaping his throat as their mouths finally part. On the other side of the door, the ruckus increases and something hits the wood panel with enough force to jolt them both a little.

"Let's get out of here," Bucky says and Clint nods.

They rush away from the door, jumping clear of the security guards, then take off running on the narrow alley until they're out on the streets. Clint follows Bucky easily, their hands holding tightly to each other. Soon, they're a few blocks away, panting from the laughter that's been racking them every since the zoo gate. They lean against a wall until they manage to catch their breaths, but Clint can't wipe the lingering smile off his face. Looks like Bucky can't either.

"Can I be the bunny first?" Clint asks, pulling at one of the ears that, miraculously, haven't fallen off of Bucky's head.

Bucky's eyebrows raise and he shifts closer. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Clint breathes, resting his cheek on Bucky's shoulder while his arms wrap around Clint. "Bet you make a mean carrot soup," he grins against Bucky's neck.

Bucky's laughter is so loud, shaking them both, and Clint joins him. Bucky always does this thing, at all of Clint's bad puns.

Laughs with his soul.

And Clint loves him for it.

~End~


End file.
